Hawaiian loco moco

We tried to recreate this local favorite from a recent vacation. We loosely followed this recipe: http://cookingtheglobe.com/loco-moco-recipe/ Our modifications: first, for the meat mixture, we used ½ cup plain breadcrumbs and 1 tsp soy sauce instead of panko and salt, respectively. We also added ½ tsp dry mustard. Second, for the sauce we first sauteed… Continue reading Hawaiian loco moco

Chinese braised beancurd with shiitake mushrooms

My friend Dora recommended this recipe, and it was delicious: https://rasamalaysia.com/braised-bean-curd-with-mushrooms/ In lieu of sweet soy sauce (kecap manis), we used 1 Tbsp dark soy sauce plus 1/8 semisphere (about 1 tsp) of a small palm sugar mound (see Note below). For the meat, we used ½ lb minced bison. In addition to shiitake mushrooms,… Continue reading Chinese braised beancurd with shiitake mushrooms

Giada’s meatballs (sort of)

We made meatballs generally following this recipe: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/classic-italian-turkey-meatballs-recipe-3381279 Our modifications: instead of 1 lb ground dark turkey plus 1 lb turkey sausage, we used 1 1/3 lb ground veal, pork, and beef (aka meatloaf mix) plus 2/3 lb (2 raw links) Italian chicken sausage (1 link spicy, the other link sweet), removed from their sausage… Continue reading Giada’s meatballs (sort of)

Filipino meatball noodle soup (almondigas)

Recipe from Quintessential Filipino Cooking by Liza Agbanlog, although we modified by cooking the noodles separately. First, using a medium bowl, mix 1 lb minced pork with 1 large egg, then fold in 3 Tbsp flour and 1.5 finely chopped scallions (whites and half the green of 2 scallions). Form into 1-inch meatballs and place… Continue reading Filipino meatball noodle soup (almondigas)

Weeknight beef and turkey ragu

We tried this recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013593-turkey-ragu Our modifications: first, in lieu of pancetta, we used 4 slices of precooked bacon, cut into matchsticks. Second, we doubled the recipe, using 1 1/3 minced turkey (which was the size we had) and 1 lb minced beef. We doubled the amount of onion, garlic, celery, and carrot, and minced… Continue reading Weeknight beef and turkey ragu

Filipino picadillo with potatoes

We tried this recipe, mainly following the “stew” (as opposed to “soup”) version: https://www.kawalingpinoy.com/picadillo-with-potatoes/ Our modifications: first, based on our pantry, we used 1 lb minced bison, even though the stew version calls for 1.5 lb minced beef. We also reduced the fish sauce to 2 tsp (instead of 1 Tbsp, which is 3 tsp).… Continue reading Filipino picadillo with potatoes

Sichuan minced pork with cellophane noodles (ma yi shang shu)

We tried this recipe: https://www.chinasichuanfood.com/ants-climbing-a-tree/. Our modifications: first, based on our pantry, we used Korean sweet potato cellophane noodles (dang myun). Because they are thicker than bean thread noodles, we parboiled the cellophane noodle for 4 mins, drained, rinsed in cold water, and then set aside. Second, we used ½ lb minced pork. Also, to… Continue reading Sichuan minced pork with cellophane noodles (ma yi shang shu)

Sichuan dry-fried green beans with minced pork and pickled radish

We tried this recipe: https://omnivorescookbook.com/szechuan-dry-fried-green-beans/ We made minimal modifications: first, we used Chinese long beans (trimmed and cut into string bean length). Second, we reduced the pickled radish to 1 Tbsp, which we rinsed and drained. Third, we used a large nonstick wok. Finally, we reduced the Sichuan peppercorns to ½ tsp, and then at… Continue reading Sichuan dry-fried green beans with minced pork and pickled radish